CHAPTER 3
MOTIVATION: GETTING GOING AND STICKING WITH IT
Like a lot of people, B.J. Keeton will never forget the breaking point that got him moving.
“I thought I was going to fall out of the seat and die,” says Keeton, who was 310 pounds at the time. “At that moment, I knew my life had to change. I couldn’t let my weight—which I had never cared about that much before—hold me back from living my life. I was 27 years old and a newlywed. I had my whole life in front of me. I needed to be able to enjoy it.”
Indeed, for most of us, our call to action strikes like a bolt of lightning. Maybe we’ve been haunted for years by the awareness that we should be doing some exercise but were always seduced by the many very good reasons not to—we are too busy, too tired, too stressed, too cash strapped, too sick, too embarrassed, too haunted by bad memories of grade-school gym class, or just too scared. The inertia just feels too leaden to overcome.
For sure, the mental challenges are more difficult to overcome than anything our legs and lungs will have to endure. But if you’ve exercised even a little, you know—if you can get over those obstacles and get out the door, you will be rewarded handsomely in the form of confidence, weight loss, optimism, improved health, and too many other benefits to name. Just ask Keeton. He started walking, then running, made over his diet, and lost 146 pounds. Now he’s training for his first half-marathon.
“It gets better. Really. I promise,” he says. “The hurting stops. The exhaustion goes away. The cramps and blisters and all of that is temporary. It doesn’t seem that way at first, but it eventually becomes one of the best things in the world. But you have to stick with it. Oh, and those first 2 miles? They always suck. Always. For everyone.”
In this chapter, you’ll find all the tools you need to get going and stick with it. You’ll learn how to get over the mental obstacles to getting out the door, and the ones that you inevitably face when you’re on the road. Most important, you’ll learn how to develop a love of running that will last for life.
Getting Over Obstacles to Getting Out the Door
Here’s how to clear some common mental roadblocks that can keep you from getting going.
THE OBSTACLE: I missed working out for a week because of my job (or I was hurt, sick, or insert excuse here), and it feels like too much work to start over. I might as well give up.
Get over it: Press the reset button and start over, like you would on a video game, says running coach Jeff Gaudette of Boston-based RunnersConnect. Just focus on moving forward.
THE OBSTACLE: I’m worried everyone will laugh!
Get over it: Enlist a buddy for your first outing to the gym, the trail, or even a group run. Or connect online with other newbies who are venturing out for their first runs at sites like runnersworld.com/the-starting-line. Studies have shown that buddying up—whether it’s a person, a running group, or an online group—increases your chances of sticking with an exercise routine.36 Everyone feels self-conscious at first. Susan Monk, training coordinator for the Atlanta Track Club, says she often hears from people who came to the first day of training but felt too daunted to get out of their cars. Recruit a support crew of nonrunners to support your efforts, whether it’s your spouse, parents, roommate, boss, or coworkers, says coach Mindy Solkin of The Running Center, which is based in New York. “When someone who isn’t in the running world knows that you used to be on the couch, they can appreciate what a big deal it is that you just ran 2 miles,” she says. “It’s a big deal.”
THE OBSTACLE: I’m too busy!
Get over it: Find the time of day when running is a nonnegotiable, says coach and exercise physiologist Susan Paul of the Track Shack Foundation in Orlando. For most people, that’s the morning, when no meetings are scheduled and the kids are still in bed. “If you do it first thing, you don’t have time to think up an excuse,” she says. And make sure that you have cleared enough time to work out so that it doesn’t jam up your day. If a morning run means you’re speeding to work and stressed about being late, the workout will start to feel like punishment, says Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit. “The brain starts relating to the workout in a negative way,” he says, “and it will be hard to make it into a habit.”
Making Exercise a Habit
When Tom Cattell resolved to start running, he didn’t want to give up. After all, he was 278 pounds with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and prediabetes. He had tried exercising in the past, running three or four times a week at different times of day, but it never stuck.
He started working out 6 days a week and walking on the seventh day. He started working out every day after work and first thing on weekends, no matter what time it was and no matter what the weather conditions were.
“It’s sort of like brushing your teeth,” says Cattell, 50, a father of five from Birmingham, Alabama. “I never forget to brush because I do it at the same time every day. Now it is the same for running.”
Indeed, Cattell discovered firsthand what experts have found to be true. If you take steps to make exercise into a habit, you’ll find it easier to stay on track and reach your fitness goals.
“Once exercise becomes a habit, it just feels easier,” says Duhigg, who trained for the 2012 New York City Marathon. “So when you don’t feel like doing it, it doesn’t take as much willpower.”
After a few weeks of running, you begin to believe that the whole concept of a “runner’s high” is not a myth. Feel-good brain chemicals—like dopamine and endocannabinoids—will be released while you’re on the road, and you’ll feel so proud of what you accomplished that it will take more discipline to rest than to run.
But until that happens, it can be hard to force yourself out the door. And relying on willpower just won’t work, experts say. “We tell ourselves we will ‘make ourselves do it,’ but that puts a lot of strain on your willpower resources, and everyone’s willpower is a limited resource,” says Heidi Grant Halversorn, associate director of the Motivation Science Center at the Columbia University Business School. Once your resolve gets weak—when you’re tired, stressed, and so many things seem more appealing than running—willpower breaks down.
Indeed, Cattell is the first to admit that “running isn’t fun all the time.
“Sometimes it’s a great run; sometimes it’s difficult,” he says. “But once running became a habit, it didn’t matter if yesterday was a good run or not. It was just habit.”
And his healthy habit has paid off. Not only has he lost nearly 100 pounds, but most important, getting out the door feels second nature. “The great thing is I do it without even thinking most of the time,” he says. “It’s just another part of the day, like taking a shower. The fact that it’s a habit keeps the desire going when times are tough. It becomes hard not to do it.”
Here are some of Duhigg’s best tips on how to make running a habit and how to make it stick.
Make a plan. According to Duhigg, every habit is made up of a group of cues (e.g., time, place, mood, music, certain other people), a reward (chocolate, massage, hot shower, smoothie), and a routine (the running). So pick some cues (e.g., the most convenient time to run or the best route to take) and rewards that will incentivize you to run. Then write out a plan with the cues and rewards and post it where you can see it. Let’s say the best time to run is morning; you’ve got an energizing music mix on your iPod, and your reward is a relaxing long, hot shower. Your plan would be: “If it’s morning and I hear this music, I will run, because then I’ll get a long, hot shower.” Post the plan where you can see it. Try it for a week. If it doesn’t work, try changing the cues or the rewards.
Keep it regular. Create a prerun routine to cue your body and mind that it’s time to run, and repeat it every time you go. Always go at the same time of day. Place your workout clothes next to your bed. Play the same workout music before you go out. “In order to make something like running into a habit, you have to have cues to trigger you, and they have to be consistent,” says Duhigg. “You’re creating neural pathways that make the activity into a habit,” he adds.
Reward yourself immediately. Right after your run, treat yourself to something you genuinely enjoy—a hot shower, a smoothie, even a small piece of dark chocolate—so your brain associates exercise with an immediate reward. “You have to get the reward right away for something to become automatic,” says Duhigg. “You can’t intellectualize your way to a reward. You have to teach the brain about reward through experience.”
Build your own support system. Equip your running routine with the activities that will make you feel good about it and get you revved up to get up and go each day, says Duhigg. Meet up with friends so that the run doubles as socializing time; track your miles so that you can see the progress you’re making and the fitness improvements.
How Running Changed My Life
Running helped Jamie Kontos heal from a painful breakup and gain control over unhealthy eating habits
Jamie Kontos desperately needed a stress reliever. Just 2 weeks after breaking up with her fiancé, she was starting an internship as a mental health professional. She knew that she wouldn’t be able to help her clients if she couldn’t help herself first.
She also wanted to shed some weight. So she joined a gym and started working out, alternating between 1 minute of running and 1 or more minutes of walking.
“Running helped me escape from painful emotions and provided me with a way to manage stress while simultaneously building my fitness,” she says. Rather than eat her emotions or become a couch potato, she used her pent-up emotions on the treadmill or bike path.
“Running was the time I gave to myself to sort through any emotion I felt, whether it was anger, sadness, or loneliness,” she says.
Now, though she’s a full-time graduate student working three jobs, 4 days a week, Kontos wakes up at 5 a.m. and runs and strength trains. And it’s paid off. She is 45 pounds lighter and feels more confident.
“Running makes me feel empowered,” she says. “Running has given me a renewed sense of confidence that I have not received anywhere else. After a run, I feel like I can accomplish any goal I set my mind to.”
AGE: 24
HOMETOWN: New Lenox, Illinois
OCCUPATION: Mental health professional/full-time student
What was the biggest hurdle, and how do you get over it? Perseverance. Everyone struggles from day to day. When I hit a plateau, I let my body rest. When it’s time to get back to it, I do it. There is no time to overanalyze and beat my goals to death. My workout is the time to stop thinking.
How do you find the energy and time to work out with your busy schedule? I make sure to get at least 7 hours of sleep per night, even if that means sacrificing socializing from time to time. After I jot down my hectic schedule, I find a block of time where I can squeeze in my runs. I manage to get a good run in at 5 a.m. with over an hour to get ready for the day. Fit in your workout in the morning so you can get it out of the way. Plus, you’ll most likely feel energized and you won’t put it off by the time you get home.
What kinds of changes did you make to your diet? My biggest struggle is bingeing. I’m not eating unhealthy foods, I just eat a lot. The way I manage this is by staying busy. Oh, there are some homemade cookies on the counter? I’ll walk the dog instead. Cravings go away in about 20 minutes, so if you can stay busy for 20 minutes, you won’t think about food for long.
How did you manage your exercise and eating issues? Food has been my enemy since I was over 180 pounds in high school. I was always the “chunky girl” when I was younger. To this day, I struggle with eating. When I got into running, I did not feel the need to binge myself to death. The adrenaline from a good run helps put my cravings to rest. Instead of eating out of emotional deprivation, I eat to sustain my energy and fuel my body for runs. Mornings are when I binge. So when I run in the morning, I manage to eat much more balanced throughout the day.
What has been the biggest reward of your running life? Running was about taking control of my life during a time where I felt completely helpless. I cannot control what happens at work or school, but I can control how I take care of myself. Running makes me feel good overall. As a result, I feel more confident at school, work, and among my friends and family. I am rather shy, and I try to avoid conflict. But since I started running, I have felt more outgoing and tackle issues head-on. I’m not saying running is completely responsible for this, but it definitely contributes to my overall sense of self.
What advice would you give to a beginner? Start slow. Do not expect too much of yourself all at once.
Favorite motivational quotes: “If you’re going through hell, keep going.”
—Winston Churchill
Bart Says . . .
A lot of people see elite athletes or see models in magazines like Runner’s World and say, “I’m not a runner.” But a runner is someone who heads out the door and runs. A golfer is someone who golfs. It doesn’t matter how fast you’re going. The beauty of this sport is how accepting it is of people of all abilities. And it doesn’t matter whether you’re running, jogging, doing a run/walk, or sauntering.
Make Your Workout Happen Any Time of Day
What’s the best time of day to work out? It’s whatever time of day you’re most likely to consistently get it done!
Whether you’re a morning person, a night owl, or someone who looks forward to a midday break to split up the workday, what matters most is clearing whatever roadblocks get between you and your workout.
MORNING: Many people find that the morning is the easiest time to consistently work out. That’s the only time when other family and work activities aren’t likely to get in the way. But there are challenges. In the a.m., your body temperature and heart rate are at their lowest levels. If you skipped dinner the night before or ate fast-digesting carbs like rice, bread, or sugary desserts, your fuel stores will be depleted, which will make it hard to find the energy to get up. And if you skimped on sleep—8 hours is ideal—you’re going to be more likely to hit the snooze button than to hit the road.
How to: Prep for an early-morning walk or run the night before. Eat slow-digesting carbs like broccoli, beans, and lentils. Set your automatic coffeemaker to brew before you wake. Turn off the computer and TV at least 30 minutes before you hit the sack and get blackout shades for your windows—the absence of light boosts production of melatonin, a hormone that makes you feel sleepy. Move your alarm clock across the room, so you’ll have to get out of bed to turn it off. And once you’re up, put on your exercise clothes in a brightly lit room: When light hits your eyes, it signals your pineal gland to stop producing melatonin, helping you wake up.
MIDDAY: Your body’s level of melatonin, the sleepiness hormone, is at its lowest around noon, so physiologically that’s when you’re most alert. While it may be tempting to keep plugging away at work, it’s time for a break. And if you haven’t eaten, you may be more tempted to grab lunch rather than a workout.
How to: Schedule your walk or run like you would any other meeting; put it on your to-do list and cross it off for the confidence boost that comes from mission accomplished. Split your lunch in two: Eat half of it an hour before you go out, then have the remaining food afterward. Don’t stress about missing work—exercise has been proven to increase work productivity.
LATER IN THE DAY: Many people save their workouts until the end of the day and rely on it to burn off stress. And for many people, that’s the only opportunity to run. The good news is that research shows that your body is primed to perform its best late in the afternoon and early evening because that’s when your core body temperature peaks. But if you’ve tried it, you know; willpower can wane as the day goes on. Levels of the hormone cortisol, which helps your body get energy from the foods you eat, drop throughout the day. So while your muscles might be running-ready, your brain might talk you into bagging your workout.
Refuel. Low blood sugar levels can leave you feeling unfocused and in no mood for a workout. If you’re a midday or evening runner, and the last meal you had was several hours ago, you may need to refuel your energy stores. Eat a high-carb snack (banana, pretzels) of 150 to 200 calories about an hour before you lace up.
Perk up. Caffeine releases dopamine and norepinephrine—two energizing neurotransmitters—into the brain, which boost alertness and motivation, says William R. Lovallo, PhD, professor of psychiatry at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Caffeine also triggers the release of glucose into the bloodstream for extra energy. Studies show that 80 milligrams (a small cup of coffee) consumed 15 to 60 minutes before exercise can boost performance. But guzzle with caution. Caffeine stays in the system an average of 4.5 hours—in some people, it can have a half-life of up to 9 hours. So limit your consumption—or skip it entirely—if you run really late in the day so it doesn’t interfere with your sleep.
Get inspired. Surround yourself with inspiration. Watch an energizing running video. Decorate your office with motivating running pictures, quotes, or bib numbers to create a similar effect, encouraging you to replicate the actions.
Stay accountable. Set a reminder on your smartphone to keep your afternoon run date. And using a mileage-tracking app that shares your progress with your friends can make you less likely to bail on a run.
Get into the habit. Create a routine that you can repeat before every run. An hour or so before you’re supposed to head out, do the same exact sequence of events: Fill your water bottle, eat a banana, listen to a song that pumps you up, or watch an inspiring video. Going through the identical paces will help you condition yourself to crave your run.37
Get Over Mental Roadblocks on the Run
Regular exercise is supposed to relieve stress. So why can it sometimes feel so stressful? No matter how fit or fast we get, we’re all vulnerable to fear, doubt, and insecurity when we venture out in our running gear.
As you become a runner, it’s important to learn how to talk back to the negative voices that inevitably crop up when your body and brain tire out on the road.
Here’s how to be your own cheering section.
PROBLEM: You feel overwhelmed by the distance you still have to do.
Solution: Break it down.
Studies have shown that about two-thirds of the way through any race, whatever the distance, runners tend to hit the wall. At that point, the excitement of the start has worn off, and the finish still feels like it’s very far away. Anticipate that you’re going to hit this tough stretch and prepare for it. Try doing a body scan. Are you in physical pain? Are you on the edge of your injury? Are you capable of taking just one more step? If so, keep going. Break the distance down into segments. Just focus on running to the next block or lamppost. Once you get there, pick another target just ahead.
PROBLEM: You get tired.
Solution: Slow down.
Ease back to a pace where you can maintain a conversation; you should feel relaxed, like you could run at that pace for an entire day if you had to. If you’re huffing and puffing, you’re going too fast. And do a body scan. Are you feeling acute pain? Is anything broken? Are you tensing nonrunning muscles? This is common when you’re struggling, but it zaps the strength your legs and lungs need. Relax your brow and cheeks, unclench your jaw, move your shoulders away from your ears, and keep your hands loose and palms to the sky. Breathe.
PROBLEM: You feel discouraged.
Solution: Replay the “highlights reel” of the greatest moments of your life.
In a training log, keep a running tally of the number of miles and time that you’ve spent working out so you always know how much you’ve accomplished. It will make whatever distance you still have to cover seem much more manageable. Remember, all you can do is your best, and commit to be proud of whatever that amounts to.
PROBLEM: You feel demoralized because someone passed you.
Solution: Draw strength from others.
That runner who just whizzed by? He’s showing you what’s possible and how fast you can run. And remember that just by being out there, you’re inspiring others who are still on the couch, and everyone who is driving by, and showing them what’s possible. Keep moving.
Try to avoid comparing yourself to others. Remember: You’re becoming a runner in order to be a better version of yourself—and to fulfill your own unique potential. George Sheehan, the author and longtime Runner’s World columnist, once said, “The whole idea is not to beat other runners. Eventually, you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants to quit.”
How to Break Out of a Rut
No matter how much you love to run, there are bound to be days when you’re burned out, bored, frustrated, and want to throw your running shoes out the window. Sure, routine can help keep you consistent, but mixing things up every once in a while can help prevent you from falling—feet first—into a fitness rut. Here are six easy ways to revive your running desire.
1 Get a change of scenery. Find a new route. If you have a GPS, set out to run only on streets and routes that you haven’t explored before. (Check out Runner’s World’s route finder at runnersworld.com/routefinder.) If you’re a roadie, hit the trails. The softer surface will give your bones and joints a break from the impact on the concrete. In the woods, the trees will provide the shade and breeze that you can’t get in the city. Plus, focusing on navigating technical terrain (i.e., not falling face first over rocks and roots) will take your mind off the mileage. (For more, see “Your First Trail Run.”) Already run trails? Hit the road or the treadmill. (Find “Treadmill Training.”) Freed from worrying about your footing, you’ll be able to get some quick work in.
2 Get some company. If you’re committed to going solo, try hooking up with a buddy or joining a group. Choose your partners carefully; picking the perfect training partner can be tougher than dating.
Having company can make the miles roll by faster; you can explore new routes and run at times of day and in places that you might not feel safe covering alone. And knowing that you have to meet someone at 5 a.m. may be just the commitment you need to keep your training on track when it’s so tempting to sleep in. Ask about group runs at a local running store or club (find clubs near you at runningintheusa.com/club). Friendly, informal runs are usually offered weekly and are open to runners of all abilities. Before joining a group for the first time, find out about the typical pace, route, and crowd. Are you likely to be the only newbie? Is it a bunch of grizzled veterans? (For more tips, see “Group Dynamics.”)
3 Reset your goals. Make some goals that have nothing to do with pace or the outcome of a race or any given run. You might start a workout streak, challenging yourself to do some sort of exercise every day. Or make a goal to run someplace new every day. Set some smaller short-term process goals that ultimately help you get fitter and faster. Do you always run out of energy? Aim to improve your pacing strategy, starting more slowly and finishing feeling strong. If you typically walk up hills, try running up them or maintaining the same pace as you do on even ground. (For more tips, see “Hills.”)
4 Go race. Even if you’re a diehard long-distance runner, jumping into a 5-K is a great way to get a break from the monotony of training solo and rev up your competitive juices. There are usually 5-Ks in most areas on most weekends, so it should be easy to find one anytime near you. Find an event near you at runnersworld.com/race-finder. Learn more about racing in “Reasons to Race.”)
5 Plug in . . . Sometimes it’s hard to gauge your effort level on your own, and the wind, fatigue, hills, and burnout can make your daily workout feel like a slogfest. If you usually run without technology, strap on a heart rate monitor and/or a GPS to determine exactly how far and how fast you’re going. (Read more at “How to Gauge Your Fitness.”) On easy days, these devices can help ensure that you’re going slow enough to give your muscles a genuine chance to recover, so you have more energy for quality workouts like speed sessions, tempo work, and long runs. During quality workouts, these devices can ensure that you’re working hard enough to get the most benefit out of your workout so you can reach your race day goals. And you don’t have to take technology so seriously: Strap on the GPS to run your errands, to find out how much distance you usually cover in the car. Run to a destination you typically drive to and have a friend pick you up. Even just hooking up some tunes can do you good. Studies have shown that listening to upbeat music will make the effort seem easier. (On the roads, keep the volume low enough to hear an oncoming vehicle, and wear only one earbud.) Runner’s World has playlists at runnersworld.com/running-playlists.
6 . . . or tune out. If you tend to be a slave to the numbers, on one day each week take a tech timeout and run by feel. Sometimes, trying to boost the pace your training watch is displaying can spur you to override important signals your body is sending about how hard you’re working. By leaving the devices at home, you can continuously scan your body to evaluate factors like how labored your breathing is. When you’re running without a watch, it will be easier to bring yourself to adjust your effort if it’s hot or if there’s a headwind. Most important, freed from the stress of constant feedback on how fast or slow you’re going, you may be able to enjoy your run more.
Bart Says . . .
If you’re lacing up the shoes and heading out the door, you’re a mentor to others. You may not even notice it, but you are. Maybe a neighbor sees you running and thinks, for the first time, “Hey, maybe I can do this, too.”
The Other Runner
By Ted Spiker, author of the Runner’s World Big Guy Blog
The most challenging part about getting started running? Not the first steps, not the leg or lung pain, not the wall, not even learning the hard way that you may need lube or Band-Aids to prevent chafing in sensitive spots. It’s a creature that can ease your mind, or mess with it. It’s a creature that can drive you to the finish line, or drive you crazy. It’s a creature that would rarely do anything to harm you intentionally, but may do so accidentally.
The Other Runner.
The Other Runner comes in all shapes, sizes, paces, and personalities (you’re wearing neon for your shirt and your top and your compression socks and your shoes?). The Other Runner passes by us on our neighborhood runs. The Other Runner surrounds us in races by the hundreds, by the thousands. The Other Runner chimes in on message boards and in running clubs and may be your Uncle Josh, who has logged 37 marathons and does everything the way it’s supposed to be done. The Other Runner has raced a lot, knows a lot, and—from your perspective—appears to zip through routes without an ounce of effort. The Other Runner has legs the size of my arms. The Other Runner can run 5, 6, 7, 8, whatever-many miles in the time I can do 4. For these reasons, the Other Runner can piss me off.
But the Other Runner can also help you—with advice, with encouragement, with a “we can do it” in the last two-tenths of a mile of the longest race you’ve ever run. The Other Runner has been through your struggles and many more, and the Other Runner—almost always—means well and wants you to succeed because, after all, the two of you aren’t racing head-to-head. Unless you are in the last two-tenths of a mile and you haven’t spoken a word up until this very moment, where you both want to see who has the most left in the tank.
As a bigger guy who has run a long time (and takes a long time to run), I think one of the hardest parts about running is getting out of your own mind. You see so much speed, you see so much grit, you see people who persevere, you see gazelles who log more miles on their feet than you could on your bike. And you get inspired. But you also get frustrated by bonking, by injuries, by size, by stride, by slower-than-you-want paces. Because it’s hard not to compare yourself to others.
People will tell you that you need to stay in your own bubble. You run your race and compete only against yourself. Forget the rest. The minute you judge yourself based on the actions of others is the minute that you suffer from a sprained mojo—and go on the psychological DL. But how do you block it all out? How do you take the good stuff that the Other Runner can offer while not getting caught up in the things that can deflate you? Though I’ve far from figured it out, I try to plod forward, using my Other Runner Mantra, which goes something like this:
Other Runners have excellent advice and suggestions. They do not have The Only Answer. It’s my job to ask questions, to listen, to experiment, and to thank them for their help.
Other Runners will be (a lot) faster than I will be. I have to stop thinking that has anything whatsoever to do with me.
Other Runners are always cool cats, who care about the well-being of their fellow runners, unless they don’t look before they blow snot rockets.
Other Runners, in a race, can upset you because you can’t keep up, but they can also get you going, if you can set your eyes on one or two of them running a few feet ahead of you and make it your mission to pick them off by the end.
Other Runners, ultimately, want you to feel the same joy that they do when they run. They want you to feel the force field that comes from being in the presence of Other Runners. They know that running is such a beautiful sport because while the final result is all about yourself, the sense of community and energy and passion is out of this world when you do it with others.